I posted about this in the Prayer Request section, but since I've been more active here lately and I know some of you don't venture very far from the rest-stop and your little corner of the forums here, I thought I'd post here too. Hope you don't mind that I'm posting this in more than one place.

I'll be attending the Urbana 2012 conference in St. Louis, Dec. 27 to 31 (and into Jan. 1st). Shann's son, Quinten, is attending also. Urbana is a conference held every three years, hosted by InterVaristy Christian Fellowship, a college campus ministry. I posted more about the conference in the Prayer Request thread, here viewtopic.php?f=6&t=36305

In additions to prayers for the conference in general, I'd personally like specific prayer, that my hip pain and mobility would not keep me from fully participating in Urbana. I'm considering buying or borrowing a folding cane if I need one, but I'd obviously rather not use one.

It might be best to have one "just in case" anyway, but will be in prayer for you. I know how you love the group. (its one of the things you talk most about, so you gotta love it.) Praying not only that you come away greatly blessed, but that you have lots of fun as well.

Q was quite involved with InterVarsity. I think I mentioned all the hoopla he went through last year. It was a mess. One of the eboard members was gay (and there wasn't a problem until he said he thought the Bible was more of a fairy tale and not really God's word) But basically there was this big thing about whether they should ask him to step down and Q tried to have his back (until he made the Bible comment) saying things like well do we ask everyone who is sinning to step down How about those having premarital sex? Well it was determined that they would not ask him to step down but probably wouldn't allow him to be in a leadership position the following year. But he resigned and went to the news and of course it blew up big time!

Q was one of the college members who was allowed to talk to the press. Things eventually got worked out and they were able to stay with the college but it took all kinds of work. But the good thing is it gave Q a chance to really know what and why he believes what he does which will come in handy when he's an ordained minister.

Allison I have a cane I'm not using anymore. (I wish I could send it along for you:) but hopefully you won't need it! Hugs)

Someone at church is lending me her folding cane. She's actually having hip replacement in March. She had it 10 years ago, but it was a metal on metal one (which you may have heard about on TV) and now she has toxic levels of metal in her system which is causing pain, so it has to come out. Actually, her son is one of the ones form my church going to Urbana.

My right hip has a titanium prosthesis and it was done July, 2003, but has not given me any problems. My left hip is now the giver of pain though I'm trying to prolong having surgery for as long as possible.

violin4jesus wrote:Sorry also about your flu, Amy! I haven't received a flu shot in the last few years (thankfully I live in states that don't mandate them for healthcare workers) and I just dose up on vitamins like crazy and drug myself to sleep, so I haven't been as sick the last few winters. But I definitely recommend them for people with weaker immune systems. I can't imagine being knocked down like that.

Thanks. I keep thinking about the vaccine but the problem is that those of us with health problems and immune system problems tend to react to the shot just as badly or worse than the illness itself. :\ There tends to be preservatives and MSG in the shot, which I'm highly allergic to, and I have a history of mercury poisoning. And if one's immune system is not working right, there's no guarantee the shot will work anyway, since the point of it is to make your immune system grow anti-bodies. It's quite the delema.

But I am feeling much better, finally. Yesterday I braved going out to church, then a nap, then to my oldest sister's birthday party. I made it out and wasn't feeling sick, but was very wobbly and weak. Then today I stayed in bed until almost 4:00 pm (hypersomnia is back) and then interpreted at the Christmas Eve service and was feeling almost back to normal.

Tomorrow we may go out to eat with my grandparents and then I start my sleep study in the evening and it'll go all the next day. I'll spend some 20 hours hooked up to wires. Hope they find something helpful! Encouraging news is that my disability insurance will pay for it completely, and should pay for any medications they decide as a result that I should try.

Becky, I've had stuff like that happen. That's one of the things I love and hate about crocheting is that it comes out so incredibly easy. It's handy if you want to pull it out but also slips out by accident, too. Hope you got caught up.

Allison, I know how it is to worry about making it through and getting around at events. I'll be praying.

Becky and Pup, my family has a Roku, which is a box you pay a one-time fee for and then it allows you to access some cable shows and a lot of old shows for free, or stream things like Amazon and Hulu for a small fee. Anyway, I found Doctor Who on it. At first I only found the new one and watched two episodes, but then I found some old ones but they are just random ones in the middle. I'll watch them later.

I'm sick. I think it's an asthma flare-up though it's been over a year since I've had one. I'm also running low grade fever. I wished I could just stay home. But I can't. I have to rise above it and take Mom to lunch and then go watch movies at her apartment. I'm hoping I don't have anything contagious because Mom is too frail to get sick like that.

My Christmas was one of those a little bit of everything ones. Roomies CJ and Diane were to go to Diane's sister's place, but CJ had to be taken to the emergency room because her asthma flared up. Cookie went out with her adopted son for awhile for dinner and to see the Christmas lights.

Then, as I was sitting in the kitchen, the front door being open, I heard this loud mewing. It took me awhile to locate the source, but there was a kitten inside the engine of a car parked out front. I couldn't get to it. Sadly, I returned in defeat, fearing the kitten would get chilled and die if she stayed in there over night. I put a note on the driver's side window, notifying the owner of the kitten's presence. I still heard her mewing, and I started to get tears in my eyes thinking about having to leave her. Then the mewing stopped. Somehow, she'd gotten out on her own. At 10:30 p.m. I was coming out of the bathroom from my shower and heard her mewing again. The people who owned the car saw my note and were calling for her and using a flashlight. But she sounded so close; I finally got my slippers and a flashlight and there she was on the low wall next to the front door! So I brought her in, got her settled in the bathroom, and she spent the night inside; I got her before the rain started. This morning we gave her to Melissa next door at the women's homeless shelter; Melissa has a dog that loves to care for kittens. I'm so glad I was finally able to save that kitten!

Sparrow wrote: Anyway, I found Doctor Who on it. At first I only found the new one and watched two episodes, but then I found some old ones but they are just random ones in the middle. I'll watch them later.

I could send you video copies of the whole show, from 1963 on to the present, if you like. Though you could only view them on your computer, and I would need to mail it on a separate external hard drive... 230gb of stuff wont fit on a little flash drive. OR, send a few shows each week til you have them all... it should only take a year or two.

My holiday time was spent mostly like any other day off, except there wasn't anything open and I couldn't even go out for coffee. So I sat around the house watching videos.

Ah Pup I'm sorry I didn't think about sending you a present. I know how hard the holidays can be for those who don't have a close family network or whose friends live far away or are aliens. I'd have forced you to come to M's with us if you lived nearby. I know it wouldn't be easy to do but I'm tougher than I look. Okay I'm not but Ltd is pretty feisty and could probably take you-she fights dirty and bites.

Hey Barbie! So glad to see you pop in but sad that you're under the weather. Speaking of weather man it's like a blizzard here. Q was supposed to leave for Urbana at 3:30 but can't because they are predicting up to 12-24 inches of snow. He did make it to Buffalo and is hoping to leave by 6 am but the snow isn't suppose to let up till 1 pm. Ltd made it to M's which is about halfway to where her camp Christmas party is. They are all safe now but I'm worried about tomorrow. Chris made it home safe so I can relax a little.

DeeJay I love your kitty story and am so glad it turned out okay.

I had a delightful Christmas and am using my new tablet. I also got 2 sets of nice sheets and 2 knitting machines looms. I'm not sure if I should keep them both or return one they are quite different. I've been asking for one for years! I also go it the Wii U-draw from Ltd but I haven't had energy to try it.

One of the best Christmas presents is another paid editing job that could lead to a regular job. I'm excited but nervous because this first job is like a test. It needs some work but I'm not sure how honest I should be. But I'm still excited.

If anyone has kids in their lives from 7 to 14 we are still hoping to get more stories food the contest. I know a lot of you have nieces and nephews and grandkids. Its really a great chance.

I'm not sure how many of you heard about the sniper who set his house on fire and lured firemen into his line of fire and shot at them. Two firemen died two more injured and the sniper died and they believe the body in his house was his sister. He left a note saying he wanted to die doing what he loved doing--killing people. It happened where my sister lives. It's a wealthy suburb of Rochester and it's hard to believe so much evil can infiltrate these idyllic neighborhoods like that one and the one in Connecticut. It's so scary.